Advances in robotics technology have resulted in the increasing use of robots in a variety of situations to carry out a multitude of activities. Various types of robots are commonly used in industry to improve productivity and reduce costs. Robots may also improve the health and safety of individuals by performing tasks in harsh or dangerous environments. Robots are also frequently used to perform many repetitive tasks that may be undesirable or for which there may be little room for error. While many processes are well-suited for automation using robots, is has proven difficult and costly to design and build robots that are able to lift and move certain objects, particularly large or heavy objects.